Boiler washing and refilling system



Dec. 13, 1927.

, 1,652,179 F. w. MILLER I BOILER WASI-{.IVNG AND REFILLINQ SYSTEM Filed March 1o. 1921- f 5 sheets-sheet 1 Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,179

l F. v v. MILLER' BQILER WASHINGAND REFILLING SYSTEM Filed March io; 1921 s sums-sheet 2 Dec. 13, v1927. I 1,652,179

Y- F, w. MILLER BOII ER WASHING AND REFILLING SYSTEM Filed Maronlo. 1921 5 sheets-snee; 3

Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,179.

F. W. MILLER BOILER 'WASHING AND REFIILLING SYSTEM Filed Maron 1o', 1921 5 Sheets-Shoot 4 De.13,1927. A 1,652,179

F. W. MILLER BOILER WASHING AND REFILLING SYSTEM Filed March 10. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec.r V13, 1927.

`vUlli-11TED-STAFES rn-ANK MILLER, yorY CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIGNoR- v'roi FRANCLA'RE coMIANY, vor

IPATENI OFFICE. y

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORI'ORATION or ILLINOIS.

'BOILER WASHING` AND REFILLING SYSTEM.

i Appiieation filed March 10,1921; serial No. 451,1;'5.

V.This :inventiony relates to boiler washing and `refilling systems, "particularly of the i type adapted for the. handling` ofv` locomotives for purposesvof blowing off, washing iV out, andreiilling.

Vhile systemsof this general character have heretoforeV been employed in which the.

heat imits ofthe blow-off waterand blow- OH steam havebeenutdmed, theV blow-off l0 water beingcustomarily used for washing out the locomotivefboiler lafter it is blown'` off, and the vblown oif steam .for heating clean, freshwater with which the locomotive is refilled, the ytime required Vto blow off, wash out, andreiill a locomotive is so great, during which timethe locomotive is necessarily-'out of service, that many. railroads, instead of attempting to Conserve theblow- Voff water and the heat units contained therelin,.siinply blow off the steam from the dome yof the locomotive, and use this steam for heating other water, while the Ablow-off water is permitted to run off to the sewer,

or a; sump.

. One of the primary purposes of inypresent i nvention is to provide a system by `which both the blow-off. water and the iblow-ofi` steam may be conserved andthe heat units thereof conservedV and utilized, but furthermore, thetsystem is .adapted :to very ma'- terially reduce. the time required for the blowing of? operation, so that the ,locomotive is required to be out-of service for a minimum rlength of time only. I

`Nith this endwin view, instead `ojff the steam and water separately from'the boiler, my invention contemplates a. single blow-ofiz connection to the'lowerpart of the boiler, through which the water is blown oft' 40' rapidly under the steam pressure in the boiler,thus freeingthe boiler of itswater yin much less time `than itivould drain off by gravity. Furthermore, the rapidity of the blowing off Voperatiomboth during the time that the water isfbeing discharged and subsequently, duringthe ydischarge of the steam, is greatly 'enhanced by creating in the blow-off line,a 'partial Vvacuum which `eirpedites thev discharge of 'both the water i and steam from the boiler, and furthermore, this partial vacuum vaporizesa Considerable portion'of the blow-off water, with the result" that. larger proportion ofthe blow-off products can" bereturned to theboiler Vfor of blowing4 has been completed.

refilling purposes than is possible when'. all of the water vbelow 2120Y Fahrenheit must `be delivered to the'washout tank. instead of to the filling tank, as iscustomary in systems now in general use. e Another object of my invention is. the provision in a system ofthe character lindicated, offineans-l for cleaning the bglowoff waterand removing the sludge and dirt therefrom so that ,this `water is in the best condition for use washout water, the cleansing of thek water beingefectedby an apparatus'which does not involve they use of screens, filters,- or other devices which quickly become clogged up and rendered ineffective*r i o Another object of my invention is thefprovision ot'- mechanism by which the sludge,

dirt,rand other solid matter removedfrom `tothe refilling tank by exhaust rsteam so rthatthe temperature of the refillingwater is notreducedby reason of prolonged circu-V lation through' along yrefilling line. Y

StillA another feature resides in the construction of the drops, andthe employment of a single connection between the blow-off drop, the refilling drop, andthe locomotive,

soV that Vitis not possible through carelessness of the operator, to destroy the vacuum in the blow-off line by leaving the blow-off drop valve open after the blowing olf operation i Gthei' vObjects and advantages of this invention will be apparent as the same becomes better understoodby reference to the Jfollowing description, when considered in .connection vwith the accompanying draw-I ings Y Referring tothe drawings- AFig. l a side elevation,partially-in section of a system `embodying my invention;V

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Fig. l;

l? ig. 3 is a diagrammatic View, illustrating the layout of the structure shown in Fig. l;

Fig. Lt is a fragmentary View showing the )ipe layout at one of the stalls in the roundhouse; i l l Fig. 5 is an enlarged view, partially in section of the apparatustor producing a vacuum in the blow-off line;

Fig. G is an enlarged fragmentary view, showing-the automatic sindgc-duinpi1ig apparatus; and y b Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view ot the connection between the blow-oil' and refill ing drops.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, reference character S indicates the ashout tank, or the tank in which the water for washing out the locomotive boilers 'is stored, and 9 indicates the refilling tank in which the clean fresh water to be employed in refilling the boiler is stored; These tanks, the pumps, and other apparatus embodied in the system, are customarily arranged within a separate house or building 11, disp ed inproxiinity to the roundhouse. A section of the ronndhouse itself is illustrated in Fig. Ll, alid a locomotive to be treated is run vinto the roundhouse over one` oit the pits 12 adjacent to a post 1 3, upon which the blowo`tt` drop 1st, the wash-out drop 15, and the refilling drop itl, are mounted. These drops are connected at their upper ends with the blow-ott line `i7, `the washout line 18, and the refilling line lt) respectively, which ilines extend around the ronndhouse to the various stalls therein, and are connected with the apiiaratus inv the house ll by suitablelines 2l, 22, and 23 respectively.

The blow-off line is connected with a centrifugal separator Qd, which is devoid of screensand other parts which" might become clogged up.` The interiorconstruction of this A separator which is not specifically claimed herein ilorms the subject matter ot my co-pending application, `[Serial No. 257,120, tiled October 7,319.18. "llie steam, blow-oil `water, and impurities such as sludge, seale,`and the like delivered from `the boiler through the blow-ott line to this separator, are there elli-actively separated one from the other, the solid matter being accumulated in the bottoni olf the separator, the water being delivered from the separator through a pipe 25 into the iashout tank 8, and the steam being withdrawn from the, top

`ot' the separator through a pipe line 2G.

Since the connection from the blow-oil drop to the boiler is made at or near the bottoni of the boiler, it will he manifest that more water than steam will be blown eti during the early part olf the blowing ott' operai ion, this *ater being discharged with great rapidity under the pressure of the steam congenerally by reference character 2i", which l condenser is preferably disposed at considerable elevation above the relill tank so that water flowing trom the coiufienser will attain considerable velocity in its descent to the relill tank, thus increasing the eil'eetivc suction ot the condenser upon the blow-oli' line. i

The pipe 2G communicates with a vertical riser 28, `which extends upwardly through and above the root of the building, and is` connected by means of anv elbow 29 with the upper end oli the injector condenser 27. The condenser is shown on an enlarged scale in lfig. 5, :from which it will be observed that it comprises at its upper end, a chan'iber 3l, beneath which is disposed a venturi ll'ater is supplied to the chamber 3l from a supply pipe 33, which receives its water from any suitable source of supply, preferably through a pipe 34C, as shown in Fig. fl, which is connected to the city water supply, or to a pump. The water mixing in the chamber 3l with the blow-oli `steam serves to partially condense the saine, andthe water 'llowing downwardly through the venturi 32, and thence through the pipe 35 into the refill tank 9, produces a suction upon the chanaber 3l, producing a partial vacuum which is communicated through the pipes v8 and 26 to the separator 24 and blow-olf line 2l. The suction created in the venturi is augmented by the velocity et the water below the ven-` tui'i, with the resultvthat a suliicicntly high vacuum produced to permit the rapid blowing oil ot" the water and steam ilfrom the boiler, and also to partially vaporize the het water `in the separator, with the result that a greater quantity ot steam is delivered in condensed torni to the relill tank than was originally coi'itained ,in the boiler. Thus not only is the rapidity of the blowing off operation greatly increased, but the quantity oi' the blow-olf products delivered to the rel'ill tank where they are available 'for relilling purposes'is greater than in any other systems with which I am familiar.

lttor any reason the venturi should `bef come stopped up or .should fail to relieve llt) the pressure in the line 2G, the steam will be delivered directly into the refill tank Sl through the branch 3G which extends downwardly into the tank and delivers the steam jinthe tank. To preventA accidental accumulationoefexcesspressure or Vthe production of lafvacuum inthe tank,a vent' pipe 37 leads fromithe top or" the tanlrdirectly to atmosphere", Y 'f The'pipesf vand 36k `delivering into-the refill tankjalnd also the pipe 25 delivering l `into the washout tank, arevequipped at a lsuitable' distance below vthe normal water urlevelI inthe respective tanks with delivery "devices 38', 1ncluding one or more downjwardly inclined branches 39,' through which .deliveryl from V these pipes takes place. The

i pipes at their flower? endsV are 'equipped with suitable pedestals 40, resting upon the bottom ofthe respective tanks, andpreferably thatportion ot'cachpi'pe below the Vdelivery Vdevices is lill-ed with cement lor other suitable "material, as'indi'cated at 50, thusclosing this portion4 of the pipe, and infact, providing a v 'supporting'lcolumn 4for kthe upperl portion lShould'. the 'supply of water to the refill Q'allsbel'ow'a'predetermined height; also, "rto" guard' against voverflowing -of the tank,

i a similar balanced valve 44' is'inter'posed in thepipe 33 and controlled by'ya iioat l51to shut off-the supply of water to the" condenser Vr when atpredetermined water VVlevel in the tank 9"has`been reached.y

The lwater in the washout .tank-8 is withdrawn' *therefrom for washout. purposes Y j through apipe-l by-a'stea'm pump 47, by. 1 which it is delivered through the: delivery j'p'ipeB to thej washout line 22g Inf orderV fthatthis water may be automaticallyv temf vpered down. to a'temperaturej at which the nozzle can be handled by the washer.

I have Yprovideda connecting pipe 49 betweenthe Coldwater pipe and the -int'ake pipe '46, fand fin this pipe 49, there is interposed a thermostaticallyecontrolled valvel adapted to be ropenedr and closed by a'thermostat 52 disposed in the deliverypipe 48. Should thel temperature oll the water delivered bythe pump 47 through the pipe 48Abe higher 'v than lthat desired for washout purposes, the

valve '5ly will be automaticallyopenedto ad#v mit a sutlicient quantity of cold water to the 7finlet of vthepump to temper down 4water `with'drawn lfrom thetank 8 so that the washiagout water will be' delivered at the requisite 1 temperature. Thepipe 38 also has a branch i extending into the washout tank 8 to sup-V ply `water thereto-in case there isinsuticient as shown.

lbelowl th'e'water level, thus-heating the water through *the pipe`25. l valve 5a interposed in pipe 33 is controlled bya tloat55, which opensV the valve, admitting cold fresh water when the water level in the Vtank 8 falls to a predetermined point. `The pump i7 is operateol by ysteam supplied through a steam. liner from ythe power boilers, the steam. being delivered to the vpump through a branch57,` and the exhaust from the pump is delivered throng-ha pipe 58, which is connected at 59 with the linef26 so that the exhaust steam, as well Aas the blowoi steam is delivered to the condenser. The refill pump Gl is likewise supplied with' steam from the line 5.6 through a branch 62, and the exhaust from this pump 1s 'conductedby a branch into thev pipe 5S, all4 as shown in Fig. 1.- VTo preclude any 'appreciable backpressure in thisexhaust line, a vent pipe 64 is con- -nected therewith and adaptedto vent to atmosphere',.this pipe being equipped with a lexhaust line becomes too high. v

The vreilling"Y water is withdrawnA 'from l the tank 9 by the pump 61. through an intake `=f pipe 6G, andis delivered therefrom through feo balanced valve 65, which is adapted to au- Vtomatically open when the pressure in the the discharge pipe 57 into the refill line 23,

from the tank 9, a pipeY 68 rises Vfronithe To take care of any overflowneat-'controlled valvel 69 which cpensoniy placeythe water flowsV trom thepipc 68 through a horizontal pipe 7l from whence it is discharged through a vbranch 72 into tank isalso adapted to overflow througha vertical riser 77 connected with the intake 11= with checkvalves 79 and 8l are connected la" when the water in the tank risesto a prede- `ternnnedv height,r ythen overflowY takes thegdrain pipe 78, connected at one end with j the refill tank and at its other end with `the washout tank, assho'wn in E ig. l.' Eitherof lthe-.tanks may bedrained by opening one o1 the`other of the drain valves or '7 5, the drainage being discharged to the ,sewer through a common .pipe 7 6. The washout with the upper ends ofthe risers 77'and 68 respectively.- The vi'ormation of a vacuum orfrthe raccuinulation of an egzcess, pressure f in the' washout tankis obvlated by avent pipe 82 from the top thereof.

@The sludge, scale,` sediment and K other solid matter collected in the. bottom ther Separator 24 from the blowen predncts are v delivered from this separator into the sewer pipe 83 by a delivery pipe Sli'. For the puril" pose of automatically eliecting the discharge of this accumulated matter trom theesepawater supply 'from theblowoif `products` rator `withoutthe attention of the operator,

till

nism is best shown, it will be observed that upon the side of tl :separator there is slidably mounted a pipe 85, carrying a tloat y ball S0, the pipe and tlout ball being adapted to more up and down in the guides 8i'. Communication established between the interior ot the separator and the pipe S5 and lioat `ball S through a connection E58 including a llcxilde hose St), which permits ot the Yertieal movements of the lloat.` 'lhc top et this mnnertlon is :uibstantially on a line with the water.delivery pipe 25 from the rcparator to the washout tank so that when at the beginning olt a blowing oll ojieration the water level in thc separator reachesithe height o'l' this pipe 2o and begins to ovei ilow into the washout tanlc, water will tlow through the connection 8S into the tloat ball, and when the weight olf' the water added to the weight oit the iloat ball and pipe becomes sullicicnt, it will iwcrbalanec a weight 0l carried by a lever 02 connected to a `shutoli1 ralte 03,1. rod 0-1 serving to transmit motion oi the lloat ball to tlielexer 02 so that the parts will assume the po.' 'on imlicated in dotted lines in Fig. (3, thereby closing the valve Valve 03 is .interposed in a pipe 94tconnected at its upper end to a large pipe 05 which in turn connectedwith the pipe through a smaller pipe 00. lVhen wat-cr tlows through the pipo the chamber 05 will lnrroimc iilled and when the valve 03 is closed as above explained, this water will he trapped in the chamber 95.`

tleztible hose 0T connects the valve 93 with a tloatball 0S carried by a pipe 00 guided l'or vertical rceiin'ocation inguides 101 similar to the guides ST ior the pipe lhe `loat 0&5 is connected by a rod 102 with a` lever 103 attached to a shut-oli.' valve 10%, and carrying a counterwcight 105.` This iali'c lll-l is disposed in a bypass 100 oit the ,e pipe del, and normally maintained in closed position` as shown in i'ull lues iu Fig. t3 by the Aweight 105.

During the blowing oll operation, or so long as the separator 211 is overtltnving into the tank S, the lloat 8G is kept tilled with water, thus maintaining the valve 93 inclosed position, the valve` 104: in the meantime being maintained in closed position by the weight 105. lVhen, however, the blowing oil' operation has been con'lpleted, so that the water level in the separator tal'ls below the inlet the connection SS, no more water will enter ball 86 through connection 88 consequentlyr the water contained in the float ball 86 will empty through the pipe 107 into the tank S, a ilexible hose 108 being interposed in the connection between this pipe and the been trapped in the chamber to iowuinto"` the loat ball 98, thereby causing this float to lower so as to open the valve 101iL and permit the sludge and water to drain from y The the separator through the pipe 84. water then empties from the float ball98 thru a restricted opening into a pipe 109 c0nnected with the bottom of the `float and with the pipe 106, `a flexible hose connection` 111 being interposed in the connection to permit the vertical movements of the float ball. When the lloat ball has been emptied, the weight will thereupon close the valve 104, thus closing the bottom of the separator' so that it is ready to again receive `blowoif products. lt will be apparent, therefore, that this mechanism automatically `provides for tlushiing out oit the separator after each lowing oit opcratioinand that this operation is pei-termed entirely automatically, and that the parts are automatically restored to normal position so that no attention on the part et' the operator is required. `In order that the separator may be drained at will, a

hand-operated shut-otl' valve 112 is inter-` posed in a branch 113 between the separator and the pipe 84, and this valve which `isnormally closed, may be opened by the to drain the separator at any time consider it advisable.

For purposes otmaintaining the refilling e may water `in the refilling line at therequisite` temperature, the end ofthis line in the roundhouse is connected, as indicated at 114, `(Fig. et) to a circulating line 115, which through a line 110, connects with the cold `water pipe `33, as shown in Figs.` 1 and 3.

The water which iscentinuously circulated through the refill line and back through this circulating line by the pump 61, whiehopcrates slowly when refilling is not taking place, is thus delivered to the condenser 27, whore it condcnses the exhaust steam from the pumpswhen no blowingolf operation takes place, and this water, together with the condensed steam, is delivered to the. refill tank through the pipe 35, thus serving to heat this water and keep itat the proper temperature and at `the same time, the water in the rctillline is kept at the proper temperature without diminishingthesupply in i the rolill tank. i

The'water in the washout line is also maintained at the proper temperature by Since a constant vacuum is maintained in the blowoli line by the condenser 27 when a operator` lli - boiler is being blown-omit isdesirable that this vacuum be not broken or destroyed, asy

would be the case if,` a -valve at one of the drops l-/if were left open, thus opening thel indicated by reference character l118 in'Figs.

4V and 7 and instead ofjemploying two hoses,

one connected to each drop, I employonel hosei 119 attached to the connection 118 through which both thefblowing off and re- 'filling operations are accomplished; VThe drop 14C isprovided with a shutoffv valve 121,

`and the refill drop .16 is'provided with la similar shutoff valve 122` After'the blowing Vofi operation has been completed, should the "operator fail to close the "fshuti 121 in the blowofin drop,jwhen't he refilling operation is'begun the refill water, V.or at least aflarge proportion thereof, instead of being delivered to the locomotive through the hose' ,modification`A without departing from the 119v will be `drawn upthe'blowoi' drop into the blowof line. AThis serves toprevent` theV breaking 'of the lvacuuimfin. the'lne, and;

sincethe 4(boiler will not fillfth'e operator will l soon discover his failureto close'- the shutoi valve 121; It will be -apparent, therefore, that instead; of destroying the vacuum'in'theblowoff line, as would be done under normal circumstances if the` blowoif drops were not all closed, Il am 'bythis crossc connection and the employment Aof aki single hose, enabled to insureagainst the breaking of the vacuum in the vbllowo'fli 'lineY e'xceptvat such time as may intervenelbetween the blowing off and. thev refilling of" any particu- 'lai boiler, and even if some water from lthe refill line4 should be drawn back 'into the blowofi line,`no harmwould bedone, and the fact thattheblowofi drop isopen will .quickly becomeapparentto the operator, who will thereupon closeit.V v *l f l Ink the operation,oflinynimproved system,

a locomotive is run into position over ,one

Y of the` pits, whereuponv thehose"11), 'is"con- `:nested with -f the boilerinear itsbottom, the4 valvev 121 is opened, and the products are blown offef'romv the boiler underthe steam pressure therein, the` rapidity ofthe blowing ofi' being augmented byt the vacuum produced by the condenserv 27. `From the separator the blowofi' water b is delivered to the washout tank, and the steam to the refill tank, where'tlie washout 'and refill waters are respectively stored.y Afterv the blowofi operation, the boileris washedoutfbymeans 1 of a hose and nozzle connected to the washoutdrop, whereupon therefill'valve 122 is opened and'the'boiler is refilled by the clean,

yfresh water from `,the refillftank. After eachblowing ofi (Jp'eiatiocri', the separator is v automatically flushed out to relieve it ofthe sludgev and sediment accumulated therein.:

' The water inthe. refill line is continuously circulated and`v` kept at lthe required tem- Y perature, the exhaust steam `from the pumpsf is utilized'inmaintaining a vacuum onlthe] blowoii' line and in heating the water in the n' .refill/tank, and V:suitable provision is madeforV overflow from both tanks and forVpie-f vention of the formation ofja vacuum or the accumulation ot en excess, Apressure in eitherftank. n Asystem embodying my iiivention is extremely economicalr and eiiicient in operation, and' ythe time that the boiler need be out ofvservice for purposes of blowing ofi, Vwashing out, and refilling,'isV` very materially V"reduced over with whichy I am familiar. i

It is believed that my invention, its conp any system struction, mode of operation, and manyof` its inherentV advantagesl will be understood and lappreciated from the foregoing without further description, and it should be manifest-,that the details of construction shown andV described arecapable of wide essence Vof the invention, 4as defined in the following claims. l

Iclaim: Y v- ,i 1.- In a boilerwashing and refilling system, the combination of: a blowofi linefor.

conducting thef'blow'oy steam andlwate'r' from a boiler, means communicating with said blowoff line for separating said steam Y and water and removing the solids from l said, water, aiwasliout tank, means for delivering said water to said* washout tank, a refill tank, means for delivering said steamV tem, the combination of a blowoi' line through which the steaml and-water are blo-wn offl from a locomotive boilerfmean's in y'said line for separating the blown off steam and wat-er, a washouty tanlnmeansV for conducting the blowofi water to, ,saidA washout tank, a refill tank, means for conducting the blowofl steam to said refill tank, means acting'on said steam to'condensetlie Y same and reduce the back pressure in said blowoff line whereby to expeditethe blowing ofi1 operation, a refill line, and meansf'or sealing the blowoff line against atmosphere whenv the refill line is in operation.- Y

3. In av boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of afblowoi line, a separator -tlierein,-means for automatically causing the discharge of sludge from said separator when the water in the separator tank, a refill tank, means for conducting the fifi steam Jfrom said separator to said refill tank, a .jet condenser disposed in said last nicntioned means, means for supplying water to said condenser, and means controlled by the water level in said refill tank for shutting off the water from said condenser,

4. In a boiler washing and refilling system, the combination oit a blowofl' line through which stez ii and water are blown off from the locomotive boiler, means interposed in said `line toriseparating the sludge 'from said water and :for separating the steam therefrom, a washout tank, a pipe for eoiiilucting the blowotf water trom said separator to said washout tank, a pipe for delivering the sludge from f -aid separator, a pipe for delivering the steam trom said separator, means connected with said last mentioned pipe toi" producingr a suction therein to reduce the pressure in the blowof'l line, means for ensuring' the closure ot the blowofl line to thereby prevent the counteraction of the suction producing' means during a refilling operation, a refill tank, means for delivering said steam into said tank and means controlled by the water level in the refilling tank for controlling said suction means. i y

5. In aiiboiler washing and refilling system, the combination ot a washout tank, a refill tank, a blowoff line, a separator in said line, means for coiuluctingl the blowofl' water from said separator to the washout tank, a jet condenser mounted at a `considei-able height above said refill tank, a pipe connecting said separator and said condenser through which steam is withdrawn from said condenser, means tor preventingl entrance of atmospheric air into the condenser through the bloiwofli line during a refilling operation, a pipe for supplying water to the condenser, a pipe leading from said condenser directly into said refill tank through which the condensation products are delivered into said tank and means :t'or autoinatically draining said separator after cach blowing oil' operation.

fi. In a boiler washing` and filling system, the combination of a washout tank, a refill tank, al blowoft line, a separator therein, a pipe for delivering water :trom said separator to said washout tank, a steam pipe leading from said separator into said refill tank and opening therein below the water level in said tank so that discharge from said pipe iiito said tank must overcome the water head above said opening, a pipe` extending upwardly from said steam pipe, aicondcnser connected therewith at a considerable height above the refill tank, means tor supplying Water to said condenser, and means for de- Letonia livering the discharge from said condenser directly into said retill tank.

7, In a boiler` washing and refillingsysteni, thefamibiiiation ot a. washout tank, a`

refill tank, a blowoitI line, a separator if'or separating `the blowofl' products troni the locomotive, means tor conveying the blowotl'` water from saidV separator to said washout tank, a condenser, means for conveying thel blowofl steam from said separator to said condenser, a pump, an exhaust steam pipe therefrom connected to deliver to saidcondenser, means for supplying water to said condenser to condense said steam and thereby reduce the pressure in said blow ofi' line, means for preventing entrance ot air into the blow off line thereby precluding .impairment of `the pressure reduction during a refilling operation, and a pipe for deliveringr the condensation iroducts from said condenser to said refill tank. i

S. In a. boiler washing and retillingsysteni, the combination `of a` washout tank,

a refill tank, a blowofl line, a separator therein, a washout line, a. refilling line, pumps `for delivering Water from said tanks towsaid washout and refilling` lilies respec-` tively, a condenser, a blownofr` steam pipe leading from said separatorto said condenser, means forsupplying Water :from one of said lines to the condenser, means l'or delivering condensation products from said condenser to said refilling tank,` a pipe for delivering blown oft' steam directly from said steam pipe into said refilling tank below the` water level therein and means for automatically draining the sepin-ator after, cach blowing oft operation.` 1

`l). In a boiler washiner and refilling system, the combination o. a blowotl' line, a

separator therein, ineens for delivering the blowofl vater from said separator, `means" tor delivering `the blowofl? steam trom said separator, a condenser into which said blowofl steam is delivered. a cold water pipe, a`

connection between said pipe and said condenser, a refill tank, a connection between said condenser and said refill tank, a coiinection between said cold water pipe and said refill tank, iiieans controlled by the water level in said tank for controlling the supply of' watei'-'lroiii said cold waterpipe lflfi to said condenser and means controlled by y tion of a'vacuuin in said tank, and means for maintaining a predetermined water level in said tank. f Y 11. Ina boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of a'blowoff line,a separator therein, a washouty tank, means for delivering blowofi water from said separator to said washout tank, means controlled by a blownoft product for automatically draining said separator after each blowing off operation, a refill tank, means for delivering blowofi' steam from said separatorclosed during a refilling operation to pre-v vent tlie breaking of the vacuum therein, a refilling line, meansk for delivering water `from said refill ltank to said refilling line,

anda circulating line connected with the end yof said refilling line and with said condenser through which water is returned from said refilling line to said condenser, and a connection from tank.

y13. In a. boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of a washout tank, a

said vcondenser to said refill y refill tank, a blowofi line, a separator therein, kmeans for conducting the blowoff water from said separator to said .washout tank, means for conducting the blowoff steam from said separator to said refill tank, said lasty mentioned means including a steam con-` denser, a wash out line, means for delivering water from said wash out tank to said wash out line, a refilling line, means for deliveiing water from said refill tank to said refilling line, a circulating line connecting the end of said refill line with said con-v denser, meansk for supplying additional water to said condenseigfmeans controlled by the water level. insaid refill tank for controlling tlie supply of said additional water to the condenser..v

14. Inv a boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of a washout tank, a refill tank, awaslioutpump, a refill pump, an intake pipe connecting said washout tank with said washout pump, an intake pipe connecting said refill tank to said Arefill pump, a riser pipe connected with each of said intake pipes, a cross-connecting pipe between said riser pipes approximately at i the top of the tanks, and an overfiow delivery' pipe connected with said cross corinecting pipe.

In a boiler washing yand refilling systeni, thel combination of al washout tank, a washout pump, an intake pipe leading from sui-d washout tank to said pump, a washout line to which said pump delivers, a refill pump, an intake pipe connecting said rehll tank with, saidrefill pump, a refilling line to which said refill pump delivers, a riser pipe extending upwardly from each of said intake pip-cs, a cross-connecting pipe connecting the upper'ends ofsaid risers, a water level controlled valve disposed in each of said risers,

and a, delivery. pipe connected with said` cross-connecting pipe.

16. yIn a boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of blow-off, washout, and refilling lines, a separator interposed in said blowofi line, aV washout tank, means for delivering blowoff water from said separator to said washout tank, a refill tank, al connection between said separator and said rell tank through which the blowoff steam is deliver-ed, means for inducing a suction in said connection to reduce the pressure in said separator, a pump for delivering water fr in said washout tank to said washout line,

means disposed in 'said washout line for autoniatically tempering the water delivered to said linea pump for delivering water from said: refillvt'ank to said refilling line, a connection bet-Ween said refilling line and said suction producing means, and meansfor automatically fiusliing said separator after each blowing-ofi" operation. i

17. In a boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of a blowofi` line through which the steam and water are' blown ofi" from a locomotive boiler, a roundhouse drop connected to said line, a refilling line, means for supplying refill water to said line, means for inducing a vacuumV in -said blowofi` line and drop, a refill drop connected with said refilling line, a valve for each, of said drops, vandra valveless connection between said drops for preventing` the breaking of the vacuum in the blowofl line during a relling operation'in the event that nthe valve in said blowoff drop should be teni, the-combination of a blowoffV line, a

- drop connected thereto, a valve in said drop,

means for inducing a vacuum in said blowo line and drop, ak relling line, means for supplying refilling water vthereto a drop connectedwith said rrefilling line, a valve iii` said drop, and a cross-connection between said blowofi' and refill drops. v n

19. In a boiler washing and refilling system, the combination of a blowoff line, a

drop connected therewith, means for inducing a vacuum in said-line and drop, a refilling line`r :x `(lro i connected thereto, menus for supplying refillingl water to snicl refilliligliuej, valves iii said drops` :i cross-eeuneetion between said lolowol' :md refill drops, :md :i hose attached ro said connection through whiehu boiler muy he blown oil und l'elillml.

Q0. In uv boiler washing uml rehlling;r system, (he Combination of u blow-off' line, n sopor-atm* connected therewith, :i discharge pipe .from said separator, n valve in seid pipe, n movable hall adapted when filled with waiter to open said vulve, :i Chamber :ulapted to contain uwqimntty oi water to be 15 eleliverecl lo said ball, and means controlled hy the Waller level in will mpnrat'or for sul iiiitliug miler from will ehni'ul'ler lo willV bull. l

Q1. In. i1 boiler iifiiehing uml rel'illiilg sys tem, the combination of :1 lilowoll" lineVzi` Separator therein, :1 discharge pipe from seiil separator7 :i vulve in Said pipe, :i float hull adapted to open Said vulve, :1 Chamber 'for Supplying waiter to Suid {loat linll, u valve interposed between Smid chamber uml Sniil Hout hall, nml :i second float hull connected willi said separator :incl adapted to close said l lost iiientioned valve when :i pre(leterlriiiied` water level ifi produced iii Said separator.V

FRAN K lV. BIILLER; 

